713-627-3200
Regional Goods Movement Questionnaire
Project Information
| Agency Name | City of Houston |
| Project Title | Oates Rd |
| Facility/Street/Highway | Oates Rd. |
| Limits | From Wallisville to Beaumont Highway |
| Description | Improvements include full concrete reconstruction of the corridor to include two 11-ft lanes (with 1-ft offsets) with a 12-ft center turn lane in the middle, as well as pedestrian improvements which include two 10-ft shared use paths on both sides of the road. |
| Timeframe | Short Term (0-5 Years) |
| Estimated Cost | $29,500,000.00 |
Investment Category-Focused Criteria
No
No
Per traffic counts from 2021 and 2022, traffic mix within the corridor ranges from 14% to 27% trucks. Please see Appendix A, Oates Rd. Design Concept Report, pages 58-70, of the attached supporting Documentation for supporting traffic counts as well as Appendix B, Truck Percentage spreadsheet.
Per H-GAC gathered data, the percentage of daily truck volume on the project facility in 2023 is 4%, in 2030 will be 3%, and in 2045 will be 3 %. City gathered traffic counts are historically higher than those provided by H-GAC. Please see attached Appendix B, Truck Percentage spreadsheet.
No
No
The Oates corridor is classified as a major thoroughfare in the City of Houston Major Freeway and Thoroughfare Plan. The corridor connects two roadways (US 90 Business & Wallisville Rd.) identified as part of TxDOT’s Texas Highway Freight Network. The southern limit of the project facility is Wallisville Rd., which is identified as part of FHWA’s National Highway Freight Network. Traffic mix within the corridor consists of 14% - 27% trucks per 2021 and 2022 traffic counts. The corridor acts as a middle mile connector for Houston’s freight network. The existing conditions for Oates Road lack adequate access management for trucks, insufficient lane width, unpaved shoulders of varying width and an inadequate storm sewer system. By installing a continuous 12-ft center turn lane, access management and traffic operations along the corridor will be improved as adequate and safe space for turning trucks will be provided and risk of head-on collision while passing will be reduced. Widened lanes will provide the necessary space for truck and bus traffic. The current scope does not include grade separations at at-grade crossings or implementation of ITS technologies. As land use patterns change and freight needs increase, the significance of Oates Road as a connection between the Union Pacific railroad to the north, toward Wallisville Road and US 90A, will become more predominant. While the corridor provides connections for freight movement under normal weather conditions, it becomes a critical alternate route between major evacuation routes between Interstate 610 East and Interstate 10 East. These alternate routes through northeast regions in Greater Houston allow freight traffic continuity between the Port of Houston and distribution centers along East Houston during hurricanes, major traffic or hazmat incidents, or other emergency scenarios.
No
No
No
No
Other Investment Category Focused Criteria
The existing conditions for Oates Road are a lack of adequate access management for trucks and general traffic operations and insufficient lane widths for truck traffic. By installing a continuous 12-ft center turn lane, access management and traffic operations along the corridor will be improved as adequate and safe space for turning trucks will be provided. Additional capacity will mitigate congestion and alleviate truck traffic, as well as improve conditions for transit accessibility. The intersection is configured to adequately facilitate turn movements for trucks. However, intersection safety improvements for pedestrians are proposed as the existing conditions lack pedestrian facilities, sufficient pavement markings, and standard signage. Ponding is also an issue along this corridor. SWMM Analysis of the existing drainage conditions revealed that the existing roadside ditch system along Oates Road between Debra Road and 1100 feet south of Needham Road on both sides appears to be inadequate for a 2-year storm event. The west roadside ditch between Oak Brook Drive and Gloria Drive also appears to be insufficient for the 2-year event. For the 10-year storm event, ponding results show more severe ponding along the westside from Gloria Drive to the south. Stalled vehicles have been observed during weather events in roadside ditches as they are indistinguishable from the roadway. Installing a closed underground storm sewer system and adding an additional 8.21-acre-foot off site detention will mitigate street ponding and related delays such as stalled vehicles or an impassable roadway.
The existing conditions for Oates Road lack adequate access management for trucks and general traffic operations, insufficient lane width for truck traffic, unpaved shoulders of varying width, non-existent pedestrian facilities, and an inadequate storm sewer system. By installing a continuous 12-ft center turn lane access management and traffic operations along the corridor will be improved as adequate and safe space for turning trucks will be provided. Widened lanes will provide the necessary space for truck and bus traffic. Installation of pedestrian facilities will allow for safe pedestrian circulation through the corridor and provides better access to the sixteen (16) bus stops as part of the 97- Settegast bus route located along the corridor . Updating the storm sewer system will mitigate flooding hazards due to overburdened drainage systems as development increases along the corridor. Improved facilities contribute to area residential growth and economic opportunities as it generates a more accessible area, allowing more jobs to be created and a higher increase in consumer demand. By also establishing partnerships with local businesses in the area, it will not only improve the quality of life for residents, but also contribute to the economic growth of the area. Improved facilities will also allow for METRO to optimize their 97-Settegast route along the corridor.
There are no pedestrian facilities identified along the corridor. The current configuration of the roadway does not provide any alternatives to driving and there are no sidewalks or bicycle facilities on the roadway. However, there are sixteen (16) METRO bus stops as part of the 97- Settegast bus route located along the corridor. Due to the lack of sidewalks or other pedestrian infrastructure, residents in the area who may rely on this transit service are exposed to very dangerous conditions having to use unpaved shoulders for walking. Another threat is the 10-ft lanes on the two-way stretch of road that is traversed by trucks and 18-wheelers. Vehicles tend to swerve into the unpaved shoulder often to avoid head-on collisions. This poses an even greater risk to other road users. The proposed project provides new multimodal connectivity to the surrounding community by implementing 10-ft shared-use paths with an 8-ft landscape buffer between the shared-use paths and the road along both sides. Landscaping and lighting are essential to promote both motorist and pedestrian safety, improve aesthetics, and provide erosion control. Seating areas are also recommended along the corridor. Intersection improvements are recommended for pedestrians as the existing conditions lack pedestrian facilities, sufficient pavement markings, and standard signage. The intersection at Wallisville Road and Oates Road is configured to adequately facilitate turn movements for trucks but is difficult to safely traverse as a pedestrian. Future redesign alternatives at Wallisville and Oates, contemplate the addition of a Roundabout as the most efficient for the turning radius from southbound Oates Road to eastbound Wallisville. A preliminary design layout utilizes a 200-ft inscribed diameter roundabout with entry curves at a minimum of 100 feet and exit curves at a minimum of 200 feet. This design also has 6-ft sidewalks with 10-ft crosswalks and a 10-ft buffer between the edge of pavement and sidewalk. See Oates DCR Figure 1, pg. 125. The corridor currently has sixteen (16) Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) bus stops with low ridership; however, METRO anticipates optimizing their route on Oates Road in the near future and the reconstruction of this roadway will assist in this effort.
There are currently 16 Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) bus stops on the existing corridor. The route has low ridership, most of which is focused around the Southeast Texas Transitional Center on the north-end of Oates Road (10950 Beaumont Highway, Houston, Texas 77078). In a coordination meeting on September 29, 2021, METRO stated that they anticipate optimizing their route on Oates Road in the next few years. The reconstruction of this roadway will assist in this effort as ease of access to the bus stops along the corridor will be greatly improved along with improvement of the pavement condition.
Inoperability in this context focuses both on improving existing corridor conditions, such as poor pavement, narrow traffic lanes and drainage issues, but also on alleviating inoperability by providing an alternative bypass following the completion of this project. Pavement Conditions: A rehabilitation project was completed in 2022 to mill and overlay the roadway surface and improve the useful life and drivability of the corridor. This rehab is expected to last for only about 5 years. As this rehab continues to wear and tear, the previous dangerous conditions will arise again: the poor state of repair caused drivers to swerve onto oncoming traffic to avoid potholes. Please see Appendix C of the attached supporting documentation for a detailed presentation of these short-term rehabilitation efforts as well as the design concept report efforts. Narrow Traffic Lanes: Oates Road within the project limits has 10-foot traffic lanes with no median. This poses a great risk to road users as larger vehicles including trucks and buses use the roadway and pass by each other closely. The loose gravel shoulders are not a stable surface and become hazards as drivers utilize them for passing and pulling out. Vehicles are forced to use the shoulders when there is a breakdown or emergency. The proposed project introduces two (2) 11-foot travel lanes and a 12-foot center turn lane. This will provide driving safety and comfort for all road users and especially for larger trucks and buses. Drainage Issues: The proposed project will greatly reduce the inoperability of Oates Road within the project limits. The existing drainage system along Oates Road is comprised of roadside ditches with culverts and storm sewers. This system gets inundated in rain events and makes the corridor impassable and unsafe. The drainage system for the project area has less than a 2-year Level of Service (LOS) in several areas except for the west area from Oak Brook Drive to the HCFCD Unit No. Pl 14-01-00 outfall which has a 10-year LOS. The installation of closed underground storm sewer system to replace current the inadequate system and an additional 8.21-acre-foot detention pond will also improve state of good repair and make the road operable during rain events Following the completion of this project, Oates Rd. Will become a viable alternate route for trucks to bypass slowdown events on IH 610E to cut through Wallisville Rd. and use Oates Rd. to get to US 90A.
The corridor will be reconstructed with concrete rather than asphalt to extend the service life of the project facility and require less frequent maintenance. Materials will adhere to the most current city, state, and/or federal standards to extended service life. The installation of closed underground storm sewer system to replace current inadequate system and an additional 8.21-acre-foot detention pond will also improve state of good repair and extend the service life of the project facility as there will be less roadway ponding and improved roadway drainage. The reconstruction of the facility along with parking enforcement will allow for public transit to operate smoothly. This improved transit accessibility will remove additional cars from the corridor, reducing heavy traffic loads that impose a significant amount of stress on the pavement thereby extending the pavement lifespan. Drainage improvements will help prevent and minimize the negative effects of water on the pavement structure that cause deterioration and premature failure. It will also aid in preventing standing water and ponding from occurring, which need to be effectively drained from the pavement. The standing water can seep into cracks, weakening the underlying layers that result in uneven settlement, cracks, and structural damage. These drainage improvements will reduce maintenance related structural failures such as surface breakage due to softened ground and erosion of the roadway, which have historically plagued this corridor.
Planning Factors Criteria
3.938 per 100 million VMT
0.00 per 100 million VMT
The project reduces expected fatalities and serious injury crashes by implementing the following: reconstruction of the roadway which results in a 30% crash reduction factor, widening lanes from 10-ft to 11-ft which results in 30% crash reduction factor, installing a continuous turn lane which results in a 50% crash reduction factor, and installing two shared use paths which results in a 65% crash reduction factor per the safety benefits calculation template. Any required pedestrian crosswalks along the corridor will result in a 10% crash reduction factor. As part of the development of the Design Concept Report, the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Wallisville Road and Oates Road at the southern limit of the corridor was studied. The reconstruction of this intersection to a roundabout would be the most efficient configuration that would allow trucks to maintain necessary space for turning movement. This would result in a 40% crash reduction factor. For more information on intersection improvements, please see page 124 of Appendix A. Improving road infrastructure by upgrading signage, incorporating visible pavement markings, and ensuring proper lighting will also aid in reducing the severity of crashes. Pavement marking installation results in a 20% crash reduction factor, installing edge markings result in a 25% crash reduction factor, and safety lighting results in a 49% crash reduction factor. One of the most efficient configurations that will help mitigate crashes is a 200-ft inscribed diameter roundabout design for the Oates Road intersection and Wallisville Road. Not mentioned in the safety benefits calculation template is the installation of landscaped safety buffers which will reduce or impede serious injuries or fatalities to pedestrians.
Resiliency
Low
Low
Oates Road experiences significant ponding and flooding which poses a risk to road users. The existing drainage system along Oates Road is comprised of roadside ditches with culverts and storm sewers. This system gets inundated in rain events and makes the corridor impassable and unsafe. The drainage system for the project area has less than a 2-year Level of Service (LOS) in several areas except for the west area from Oak Brook Drive to the HCFCD Unit No. 14-01-00 outfall which has a 10-year LOS. The installation of closed underground storm sewer system to replace current inadequate system and an additional 8.21-acre-foot detention pond will also improve state of good repair and extend the service life of the project facility as there will be significantly less roadway ponding and improved roadway drainage. Replacement of the current inadequate storm sewer system with a new system that meets city standards will prevent the system from being overburdened as development and construction of impervious surfaces increases along the corridor. This will also allow for the efficient and safe movement of all modes of traffic including trucks. Drainage improvements will meet required city, state, and federal standards.
Access/Connectivity
Weighted low- & moderate-income persons within a .25-mile buffer of the project location is 7,039.
Hispanic Minority: 8,010 | Non-Hispanic Minorities: 2,537
No
No
Yes
Environmental Justice
Weighted low-moderate-income persons within a .25-mile buffer of the project location is 7,039.
Hispanic Minority: 8,010 | Non-Hispanic Minorities: 2,537
3,096
1,175
430
2,001
70.3
Within a quarter-mile buffer of the project area, 66.1% of the population is of Low-Moderate Income, and 60% qualify as vulnerable populations. The project provides new multimodal connectivity to the surrounding community that do not exist currently. The concentration of populations within the project corridor that are classified with Limited English Proficiency, with high health disparities including disabilities, as well as lacking in socioeconomic means, is higher than average for the Greater Houston region. Consequently, improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure will have many direct and indirect benefits to this community. Pedestrian improvements on the corridor include raised 10-ft shared-use paths with an 8-ft landscape buffer between the shared-use paths and the road on both sides. Other proposed improvements include a full reconstruction of the roadway with concrete pavement that includes two 11-ft travel lanes with 1-ft offsets to the face of curb, and a 12-ft center turn lane. The project also identifies strategies to improve connectivity and access to the METRO bus stops located along the corridor. The proposed 10-ft shared use paths on either side of the roadway will provide safe connectivity to the transit service. Both shared use paths are elevated and separated from the edge of the pavement with an 8-ft safety buffer that will include landscaping. The buffer is provided for the safety of all road users and for aesthetic reasons. These buffer areas will be used for trees further enhancing the pedestrian environment by providing shade and for pedestrian and vehicle lighting to increase the comfort and safety for the proposed pedestrian facilities.
The project provides new multimodal connectivity to the surrounding community. About 27% of the community in the surrounding quarter-mile radius of the project limits is in poverty. The current configuration of the roadway does not provide any alternatives to driving and there are no sidewalks or bicycle facilities on the roadway. However, there are sixteen (16) METRO bus stops as part of the 97- Settegast bus route located along the corridor. Due to the lack of sidewalks or other pedestrian infrastructure, residents and workers in the area who may rely on this transit service are exposed to very dangerous conditions having to use unpaved shoulders for walking. Another threat is the 10-ft lanes on the two-way stretch of road that is traversed by trucks and 18-wheelers. Vehicles tend to swerve into the unpaved shoulder often to avoid head-on collisions. This poses an even greater risk to other road users. Proposed pedestrian improvements on the corridor include 10-ft shared-use paths with an 8-ft landscape buffer between the shared-use paths and the road on both sides. Other proposed improvements include a full reconstruction of the roadway with concrete pavement that includes two 11-ft travel lanes with 1-ft offsets to the face of curb, and a 12-ft center turn lane. These safety improvements to both the pedestrian realm and the travel lanes would significantly mitigate adverse effects on these vulnerable populations and road users in general. Well-placed lighting fixtures create a welcoming, safe corridor and improve visibility during nighttime hours, adding a sense of security after dark. Landscaping elements such as trees, plants and flowers contribute to the visual appeal, provide shade, and encourage the use of the proposed pedestrian amenities.
Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
The corridor extends approximately 1.75 miles across two (2) watersheds: Greens Bayou at the northeast end and Hunting Bayou watershed at the southwest end. The project as currently proposed does not affect the existing floodway. Through project development, HCFCD will have final approval over any proposed stormwater discharge into their system. Per HCFCD requirements, there will be no downstream impacts to their system. This project will provide mitigation for itself. It will not cause or contribute to any impacts to the existing floodplains. There are no adverse impacts to any natural and/or cultural resources. While identified wetlands and floodplains are present near the project corridor, reconstruction of the travel facilities will not produce negative externalities to these natural resources. Critical habitats existing just outside and southeast of the project corridor, will also not incur any measurable negative consequences. Historical/Archeological sites exist outside of the project corridor and will not be impeded by the reconstruction of traffic facilities within the corridor. Please see additional document, Appendix D, Oates Road Red Flag Report and Appendix E, Archeological_Site_Gellhorn_Oates.
Will work with H-GAC staff to determine the Emission reductions.
Innovation
No
No
Additional Documents
Appendix A_Oates Design Concept Report.pdf
Appendix B_Truck Percentages for Oates.xlsx
Appendix C_Oates Rd Rehab Presentation.pdf
Appendix D_Oates Road Red Flag Report.pdf